I have often found myself using a variety of metaphors in my personal and business life, trying to make a point, trying to confirm or cement my own understanding of a concept, or to do something similar for someone I'm working with. I think we have all done something like this at one point in time or another. The ability to provide people with some point of comparison or even a visual representation of a thought or an idea can often allow us to reach agreement, advance a perspective, or otherwise make a change.
So what is my reference to an ocean meant to convey? From an early point in my career (and life) I found myself strongly influenced by the writings of Stephen Covey. His book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, inspired me to articulate and document my first mission, vision, and values. As I look back on those initial efforts, I see a significant degree of naivety and lack of depth in the efforts! No small wonder, as I might have been 21 years old when I took my first stab at this kind of work, had limited life experience (relatively speaking) and wouldn't say I had much benefit of mentorship at that early stage of my career. That being said, the effort was the right thing to be doing and some of the same values I identified then are still important watchwords for me now - not least of which is the value of integrity.
As I have transitioned through my leadership career and into executive coaching and consulting, my ability to frame my personal mission and vision has dramatically evolved - or at least I think so! I believe I have been able to solidify both elements with the benefit of all kinds of experiences - life, business, relationships, formal learning, and so on. My points of reference and foundations for creating visualizations that help me make sense of things for myself - and with others for themselves in my coaching practice - have grown, expanded, and become more fulsome. One of the most relevant, consistently useful and powerful I have found to be a reference to the Ocean and to the River.
One thing that many of my clients so often struggle to deal with or overcome is the notion, or the even the utility, of having a vision. Common challenges in this regard revolve around an inability to be specific or detailed enough about a desired future state, intimidation around not having the crystal ball to predict the future, being overwhelmed by the potential immensity or power of a desired vision that causes some to not even start on the journey, or - perhaps hardest of all - feeling like one has no power to overcome barriers and challenges that will inevitably arise and get in our way. Taken to extremes, this latter perspective suggests we are truly victims of circumstance, destined to a pre-determined fate, mere flotsam and jetsam to be tossed about by far more powerful forces.
So to the Ocean and the River and the potential power of metaphor. The Ocean for me is that stand-in for our sense of direction and where we want to get to. Sometimes that Ocean is something we see in close proximity to us - perhaps no more than a few months or a year out. Other times, it truly could be years in the making, up to and including retirement. Many of us might be accustomed to thinking of a traditional retirement age of somewhere between 55 and 65. Regardless, for all of our individual protestations, assumptions, and limiting beliefs, we have a vision, or dreams, about how we hope life might turn out for us.
Now to the River. That is our path. These are the steps we take on the journey to that far-off shore. At points in time in the River's journey to the Ocean, the clouds or a fog bank might clear enough for us to see the destination more clearly, or there may be a parting in the forest and perhaps a height from which the river flows that allows us to glimpse the future. We get some brief moments of clarity before the riverbend puts its head downward again, carving out its effort against the rocks and the soil that we must cover and push against to succeed and achieve.
But aside from any conformity imposed by man on the course of any individual River, none flow in a straight line. The River encounters a multitude of different geographical and environmental realities that alter its flow, that change its speed, maybe at times seeming to stagnate, and even seemingly turn back on itself. The journey of the River is meandering, changing, worked through cataracts and rapids, and can even change paths from season to season. Ultimately and unerringly, it does, eventually, reach the Ocean.
As a metaphor then, I suggest you can describe your vision - your Ocean - in sufficient detail to keep you moving forward. You can find and describe your version of this Ocean view, its shoreline, the sounds and the smells you might expect to experience. Warm or cool breeze, sounds of birds, crashing of waves, sandy or rocky beach. We've heard about similar destinations from others. We know some of what to expect when we get there. You CAN create this vision, your Ocean.
In similar fashion, we know some of the first steps we can take along the way to the Ocean. We can prepare for the journey, but at some point, if the Ocean means enough to us, we must begin, we must start. And even when (not if) we encounter some harder terrain, some boulders, or a diversion, keeping the Ocean in mind allows our River to adjust, to change course, to slow down or speed up, with the idea that the Ocean is still there, still waiting for us and still worth working for.
What's your practical application of this metaphor? How can this metaphor even apply within the context of world-altering events like COVID-19? For me, I still have an image of my Ocean as it relates to my obligations and commitments to my family, hopes, and expectations for my career, and even something as small (perhaps) as the next Ironman in August 2021 and $100,000 in a fundraising goal reached for Kids with Cancer Society and in honour of Ronan Smyth.
Find your Ocean. Begin and sustain your journey as the River. The path will be winding. There will be both scenic and desolate landscapes along the way. Keep your vision and sustain your efforts. The River will get there.
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